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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — a hint
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. cue — a signal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. sharp — clever
  16. perch — the fish
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. branch — a division
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com